BCAT News

Burlington’s postponed January Town Meeting will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16. 

What was unknown until this week was whether it would be a hybrid meeting or fully in person. The special legislation signed by Gov. Charlie Baker at the start of the pandemic allowing for hybrid Town Meetings expired in December but thanks to an extension passed by both the House and Senate that is expected to be signed by the governor, Burlington is planning to have a hybrid meeting next week. 

Along with some of the normal fund transfers, there are a number of items of interest on the warrant. 

The first is a zoning bylaw article to update language that would allow businesses offering experiential and interactive activities to locate in town with less red tape in an effort to help the town’s retail sector.

The bylaw change will allow businesses offering experiences such as virtual reality, ax throwing, sports, education and other non-traditional retail uses the ability to move into a local by right if the size of the business is under 20,000 square feet. Any business over 20,000 square feet would need a special permit. Also, any business engaging in new construction would still need site plan approval.

You can read more about the warrant article here. 

There is another zoning bylaw change proposed that would allow businesses without a fixed outdoor patio to continue to take advantage of outdoor space from April 1 to November 1 with makeshift al fresco seating. The article was put forward by the Select Board at the recommendation of Economic Development Director Melisa Tintocalis who said customers have enjoyed this practice since it was introduced as a health measure during the pandemic. 

“The proposal was developed to support a popular practice of creating outdoor seating options for patrons that many food-service businesses and property owners adopted during the pandemic,” she said in a letter to the board. “The seasonal installations are not fixed structural changes, but rather light installations with bistro-style seating onsite, along sidewalks, or within protective barriers for safety and visual interest. The practice was initiated to address health conditions allowing for more opportunities for al fresco dining, however, many businesses found their patrons appreciated the new options and have encouraged officials to explore a process to continue the practice on an annual basis.”

Tintocalis added that allowing more outdoor seating will help support businesses which in turn will add to the town’s coffers. 

“The proposal makes it easier for businesses and property owners to add seating options for patrons to breathe outdoor air for health reasons or simply to enjoy the weather,” she said. “The added benefit to facilitating outdoor seating is that it can enliven storefront spaces which, in turn, tends to attract more people and thus enhance business activity. Burlington has seen an estimated 25 percent decrease in meal tax revenue compared to pre-pandemic receipts. Thus, this proposal serves as a supportive action to strengthen Burlington’s restaurant cluster and aid in its recovery.”

Another proposal put forward by the Select Board at the recommendation of Tintocalis is to repurpose funds previously appropriated for an economic development study after the town received grant funding that covered the cost of the program. Article 10 of the warrant proposes that $35,000 in funds originally approved for the study in June 2020 be appropriated for the “purpose of supporting communications and marketing through the Economic Development departments online and social media outreach.”

Tintocalis said the original intention of the study was to research data, identify key metrics and develop an implementation plan to achieve the community’s economic development goals. However, the grant covered the cost of the study so now she says the funds would be better used to improve communication and outreach. She said if the funds were repurposed her office would use them to promote the town, including through the new website BringMeToBurlington.com. 

“The funding would help promote the area’s commercial assets, share its geographical advantages, as well as community benefits through the economic development website and related social media outreach efforts,” she said. “This type of communication initiative aligns with the best practices for local economic development as outlined by the Massachusetts Municipal Association and it has been a part of the approved work plan for the ED Office.”

You can read more about the warrant article here. 

Finally, there is an article from the School Department requesting the appropriation of $1.5 million for a feasibility to build a new Fox Hill school. The study is needed as part of the process of applying for funds from the state through the Massachusetts School Building Authority. 

Click here for a look at conditions inside the school and an explanation of why the district is seeking funds for the study. 

You can find the full warrant here and the backup material here.